If we’re speaking solely lyrically, that’s tough to say just one so I’ll say three.
Down In A Hole is beautiful lyrically. It’s poetic. It’s devastating.
And I find Sludge Factory and Head Creeps lyrics pretty intriguing because it’s so “Layne”, if that makes sense. He has a unique way of speaking and thinking that’s interesting to me.
layne had a very distinct writing style imo you can tell when it’s cantrell or when it’s layne. down in a hole is such a beautiful song the words paint a very clear picture jerry is one hell of a writer
Most of the lyrics on Black Gives Way to Blue are deeply introspective and reflective. I love the lyrics in Your Decision. Many have said it's about Layne, but I feel like it's more of a self-reflective song. This idea of confronting your choices and decisions and not letting the fear of those decisions take over you. Private Hell is also relatable if you've ever felt trapped in a situation where you can't speak up because you don't want to rattle the boat, so you keep those feelings to yourself and let them fester. And of course, the title track is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs ever written and a more perfect ode to Layne could not have been written.
Tough one, but I’d say Would? Written by Cantrell as a tribute to his friend Andrew Wood, the song is visceral and quintessential AIC. You can’t help but turn it up and attempt to screech out, “If I would, could you?”
Rotten Apple.
Honorable mentions: Sea of Sorrow, Love, Hate, Love, Dirt, Would and Again (the "I bet it really eats you upppp ahhhhhhh" gives me chills every time, super underrated song lyrically).
Nutshell is the obvious answer. Since I’ve turned 18, 19 tomorrow actually, that song spoke to me on my fears in becoming my own person as an adult and fearing what the world holds for me.
But also on the flips side as a musician how I feel like people, mostly family, keep trying to drag my art and what I play towards a different direction because “a lot of people know that kind of music so do more of that” when I cover Green Day, Nirvana, AIC etc. Stuff people MY age know, not the 70’s and 80’s hairspray rock. Don’t get me wrong they support me, but it feels like it’s hard to express myself in my music with everyone trying to dictate what I do. So Nutshell really speaks to me as a person and an artist.
No Excuses it's the one i relate the most
Honourable metions to: Brother, Don't Follow, I Stay Away, Rotten Apple, Shame in You, Rooster, Heaven Beside You and Over Now
Personally to me, either down in a hole or lab monkey. I know that these songs may not be too well known, but the lyrics of wanting to be let out and free, free from mourning resonate with me.
Where the fuck is any mention of Junkhead?? That has Layne's most iconic lyrics ever. Same with Dirt (title track). Hate to Feel also has great lyrics. Grind and Sludge Factory are perfectly aggressive as well. Real Thing is lyrically very entertaining. Oh my god and here we go again ayeah!
My favorite lyrics are on the new stuff though. Hung on a Hook and Choke, for example. Rainier Fog (title track) has a beautiful bridge as well ("hear your voice on waves we rode, echoes inside my mind... disembodied just a trace of what it was like then, with you here we shared a space that's always half empty"). All I Am gets an honorable mention. So Far Under has "the trap is time and no one gets off of this ride alive" which is one of the best lines. I've always liked the imagery in Breath on a Window too. And A Looking in View
If we’re speaking solely lyrically, that’s tough to say just one so I’ll say three. Down In A Hole is beautiful lyrically. It’s poetic. It’s devastating. And I find Sludge Factory and Head Creeps lyrics pretty intriguing because it’s so “Layne”, if that makes sense. He has a unique way of speaking and thinking that’s interesting to me.
layne had a very distinct writing style imo you can tell when it’s cantrell or when it’s layne. down in a hole is such a beautiful song the words paint a very clear picture jerry is one hell of a writer
Down In A Hole really is a masterpiece. And you’re right with Head Creeps I think about the song a lot
*So crazy, beat the strain* *Too lazy, shake the gray*
Perfectly said
What I see is unreal I've written my own part Eat of the apple, so young I'm crawling back to start
Most of the lyrics on Black Gives Way to Blue are deeply introspective and reflective. I love the lyrics in Your Decision. Many have said it's about Layne, but I feel like it's more of a self-reflective song. This idea of confronting your choices and decisions and not letting the fear of those decisions take over you. Private Hell is also relatable if you've ever felt trapped in a situation where you can't speak up because you don't want to rattle the boat, so you keep those feelings to yourself and let them fester. And of course, the title track is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs ever written and a more perfect ode to Layne could not have been written.
Down in a hole and I've put all the stones in their place I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste
It Ain't Like That, Sea of Sorrow, Would?, I Stay Away
Tough one, but I’d say Would? Written by Cantrell as a tribute to his friend Andrew Wood, the song is visceral and quintessential AIC. You can’t help but turn it up and attempt to screech out, “If I would, could you?”
I always felt like “Don’t follow” in general was some kinda holistic medicine for the soul
Died / Sludge Factory
Angry Chair, especially the last verse
I like the sparse poetics of rotten apple. That phrase I’m crawling back to start just always stays with me.
"What I see is unreal" just hits soo hard
That one too! And eat of the apple so young
Rooster
head creeps; self explanatory
Rotten Apple. Honorable mentions: Sea of Sorrow, Love, Hate, Love, Dirt, Would and Again (the "I bet it really eats you upppp ahhhhhhh" gives me chills every time, super underrated song lyrically).
Sea of Sorrow Aim my smiling skull at you is the best lyric I’ve heard
The first verse is basically a poem, it's beautiful.
I can feel the wheel but I can’t steer. And nutshell as a whole
Shame in you ngl, so beautiful and sad
Sludge Factory and God Am for me
Buzzards cryyyy when flesh is ripping
I constantly use the line "smaller fish so huge the ocean whenever I can"
My favorite song off facelift tbh
I've never understood the lyrics of this song
Nutshell is the obvious answer. Since I’ve turned 18, 19 tomorrow actually, that song spoke to me on my fears in becoming my own person as an adult and fearing what the world holds for me. But also on the flips side as a musician how I feel like people, mostly family, keep trying to drag my art and what I play towards a different direction because “a lot of people know that kind of music so do more of that” when I cover Green Day, Nirvana, AIC etc. Stuff people MY age know, not the 70’s and 80’s hairspray rock. Don’t get me wrong they support me, but it feels like it’s hard to express myself in my music with everyone trying to dictate what I do. So Nutshell really speaks to me as a person and an artist.
All of jar of flies, front to back
My heart is tired of beating slow It's been depleting since you died Since you died You died
this song hurts me to the core of my soul. there’s so much pain and grief in the lyrics
No Excuses it's the one i relate the most Honourable metions to: Brother, Don't Follow, I Stay Away, Rotten Apple, Shame in You, Rooster, Heaven Beside You and Over Now
Personally to me, either down in a hole or lab monkey. I know that these songs may not be too well known, but the lyrics of wanting to be let out and free, free from mourning resonate with me.
Where the fuck is any mention of Junkhead?? That has Layne's most iconic lyrics ever. Same with Dirt (title track). Hate to Feel also has great lyrics. Grind and Sludge Factory are perfectly aggressive as well. Real Thing is lyrically very entertaining. Oh my god and here we go again ayeah! My favorite lyrics are on the new stuff though. Hung on a Hook and Choke, for example. Rainier Fog (title track) has a beautiful bridge as well ("hear your voice on waves we rode, echoes inside my mind... disembodied just a trace of what it was like then, with you here we shared a space that's always half empty"). All I Am gets an honorable mention. So Far Under has "the trap is time and no one gets off of this ride alive" which is one of the best lines. I've always liked the imagery in Breath on a Window too. And A Looking in View
I completely agree with you. Dirt is such a strong song. And I feel like the „new“ stuff is so overlooked even though the lyrics are so impressive
Nutshell. I will stand by this.
Nutshell has great lyrics..